[1423] Köstlin, ibid., and p. 15, 30.
[1424] Ibid., p. 35.
[1425] Cp. “Werke,” Erl. ed., 8², p. 23 f., where Luther says, the predictions of the prophets (or of the Apocalypse) concerning wars, the Kings, etc., were “things pleasing to the inquisitive ... but were unnecessary prophecies, for they neither taught nor furthered the Christian faith”; in those prophecies “concerning Kings and worldly events” the Prophets had “often been wrong.”
[1426] Thus O. Scheel (above, p. 392, n. 2), p. 67 f.
[1427] “Ego vero evangelio non crederem, nisi me catholicæ ecclesiæ commoveret auctoritas ... qua infirmata iam nec evangelio credere potero.” “Contra epistolam fundamenti Manichæorum,” c. 5.
[1428] “Werke,” Weim. ed., 2, pp. 429-432; “Opp. lat. var.,” 3, pp. 284-288. “Resol. super propos. Lipsienses.”
[1429] “Werke,” Weim. ed., 10, 2, p. 90; Erl. ed., 28, p. 341.
[1430] According to Köstlin (“Luthers Theol.,” 2², p. 10 ff.), it was only the orthodox Lutherans after his day who developed this into the doctrine of the “testimonium Spiritus Sancti,” which assures every reader of the canonicity of the books of the Bible. In reality, however, Luther himself already stood for this “testimonium.” Thanks to it he judged of the relative importance of the Sacred Books and only “allowed himself to be determined by the spirit speaking to him out of them.” Thus Köstlin himself, 1², p. 319.
[1431] “Werke,” Weim. ed., 2, p. 325; “Opp. lat. var.,” 3, p. 131: “Non potest ecclesia plus tribuere auctoritatis aut firmitatis libra, quam per se ipsum habeat.” The question, however, was who was to attest this authority.
[1432] See our vol. v., xxxiv., 3.